Moses: The prayer for pity
Numbers 11:10-17
When it comes to our Christian walk I suppose all of us at some time or another get angry and we begin to complain and want to give up and quit. We say things like there’s no use. The harder I try the worse things get. I don’t witness because no one listens. I’m just spinning my wheels. I’m getting nothing out of church so why should I go. My daily stresses and problems are all vanity. I can’t ever find happiness? I’m tired of the daily grind it has become mundane and repetitive.
Now I know many of us here tonight have felt this way before for 2 reasons:
I’ve talk to many of you going thru it and I’ve gone thru it!
Sometimes God’s people want to quit…
Which is the case in tonight’s message. In the scriptures we are told and read that Moses was a man of great faith. Because of his great faith God was able to use this man like no other. But in our passage of scripture tonight Moses is suffering from faith failure.
Most often when a person suffers faith failure there’s two signs. The first sign is a complaining spirit and the second sign is we want to quit. We will see that tonight as we look at Moses. We will see that first off he begins to complain to God about the children of Israel and secondly he wants to quit. Read Numbers 11:10-17.
Tonight we are going to look at the problem that Moses is facing. We will be looking at three things: First off, The Symptoms of the Problem and we will see that these symptoms led to Moses getting angry and so the second thing we will see is the Source of his anger and we will close it out with the Solution to the Problem. So let’s begin by looking at some of the symptoms Moses was experiencing.
I. Symptoms
A. Moses was Displeased.
The crowd with Moses began to crave other food, and again the Israelites started wailing and in Numbers 11:4 it says, "If only we had meat to eat! We remember the fish we ate in Egypt at no cost--also the cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions and garlic. But now we have lost our appetite; we never see anything but this manna!" You may remember from Exodus that God provided manna every evening with the dew and the Israelites were to gather only the amount they needed for a day’s provision. They lived day to day with manna from heaven. They began to have cravings for other things besides what came from God. I think we can learn a couple of things about negative thinking and cravings.
Cravings and complaints distort our thinking. The children of Israel began glamorizing slavery! All of sudden you get the idea that they wished they were slaves again. They begin to reminisce about the fish and the free cucumbers, leeks, onions, and garlic during their oppressive slavery. Cravings can distort our thinking such that we want to return to old habits that enslave us. God wants to feed us everyday that we may be truly free!
Another thing we learn is that cravings and complaints are contagious. The people complained and then we find that Moses begins to complain, which we will get more into later. Cravings simply mean that there is a lack of contentment which often makes others lose their contentment. It’s amazing how we begin to crave what our neighbors and friends have just recently craved and purchased.
Now the lesson here is be careful what you crave or wish for because God will sometimes allow you to have your cravings or wishes and in the end you wished you would have kept your mouth shut. You see God answered their complaints by allowing them to have meat to eat. Read Numbers 11:18-20. God sent them so much quail that the nation of Israel got sick of eating quail. God was fed up with them and filled their cravings to the point it made them sick. Be careful what you wish for folks.
So the people’s complaining was evil in Moses’ eyes. He couldn’t believe what He was hearing. It was like Moses was thinking to himself that, “You’ve got to be kidding me! You really wish you were a slave again?” It troubled him and hurt him and so he became angry, not for the Lord’s sake, but for his sake. He begins throwing himself a pity party, which leads us to the second symptom.
B. Moses was Distressed.
Who were the people complaining too? The people were complaining to Moses because he was their fearless leader and you kind of get the idea that they are blaming Moses. Someone always has to hear the complaints and take the blame and it’s usually the same person. So what we see is that Moses becomes miserable because, in a sense, the people were harassing him. Verse 10 says that, “Moses heard the people of every family wailing, each at the entrance to his tent.” That’s a lot of complaining and a person can only take so much complaining before life begins to get a little distressed or miserable.
Moses became so distressed that the people made him doubt his significance to God, which is all part of that pity party. In verses 11-12, “He asked the Lord, ‘Why have you brought this trouble on your servant? What have I done to displease you that you put the burden of all these people on me?’” Moses is pretty much saying don’t you care what I’m going through down here God. Are you there? If you are help me here! We can get so distressed in life that we get to the point where we feel like we’re alone. We think no one, not even God loves us or cares for us. We feel that we are left here on earth to fend for ourselves with no help.
C. Moses was Defiant.
His anger made him defiant. He became a little rebellious and began to get a little attitude with God. Moses got a little sassy with God. Now before we judge Moses how many times have you and I gotten a little attitude with God because things didn’t go the way we expected.
Moses says in vs. 12-15 “Did I conceive all these people? Did I give them birth? Why do you tell me to carry them in my arms, as a nurse carries an infant, to the land you promised on oath to their forefathers? Where can I get meat for all these people? They keep wailing to me, ‘Give us meat to eat!’ I cannot carry all these people by myself; the burden is too heavy for me. If this is how you are going to treat me, put me to death right now…”
Now Moses’ self pity and anger causes him to have an attitude of defeat. He’s whining and crying that he’s not able to do this alone it’s too heavy for him and because he can’t do it by himself then his attitude is just kill me. If I have to do this on my own just kill and do it now. Just get it over with. Moses was ready to call it quits.
Moses feels like God and the people have let him down. Have you ever felt this way? Has anyone ever let you down? Then you know how Moses felt….
If all these negative feelings are not the root of the problem, what was? Let’s see if we can discover the source of the anger.
II. Source (The source of his anger was 3 mistakes he made)
A. Moses’ assumption of the people were wrong.
Moses made the mistake of assuming that the people would be grateful for all God had done for them. The fact that God had led them out of Egypt to find the Promised Land, the fact that God had parted the Red Sea and had provided food for them. They took it for granted. They were thankful at the time, but later on wanted more.
The problem was that the people weren’t grateful at all. They wanted more. Instead of taking what God had blessed them with they wanted bigger and better. Such high expectations could only lead to disappointment. Because God will make sure we are taken care of by giving us what we need, it may not be what we want and because it might not be what we want we will be disappointed. It’s that selfishness that comes out in us.
We should be thankful for what the Lord has blessed us with instead of getting angry and complaining because He didn’t give us what we wanted. That attitude is what I like to call the Baby Syndrome.
B. Moses began to have faith failure.
When the weeping broke out throughout the camp, I believe that Moses began to doubt that there was any spiritual quality left in the people. He thought they would not have enough faith to enter the Promised Land.
Let me ask you this, what will happen to a leader & the people that have lost their faith? They will perish, because without faith there is nothing. Faith is what makes us followers of Christ. Faith in Christ is what makes a Christian a Christian. It’s what makes a church a church. Without faith there are no Christians, no churches, no SALVATION, NO JESUS!
C. His biggest mistake was he forgot about GOD’S MIGHTY POWER!
In this midst of his complaining, in the midst of throwing himself a pity party and wanting to quit Moses had forgotten about God’s mighty power. As he is setting there complaining about how he couldn’t do it on his own I think he forgot who he was talking too. I think he got so wrapped up in feeling sorry for himself that he forgot what God had already done for him. That the very thing Moses was complaining about was small compared to what God had already done.
Think about it, in this conversation wasn’t Moses talking to the same God that has caused the plagues? Wasn’t he talking to the same God who parted the Red Sea? Wasn’t it the same God who had provided the manna? At that point Moses’ view of God was very small. When you and I forget about how mighty and powerful God is it will always lead to despair.
III. Solution.
A. He did the right thing.
The first thing I want us to notice is that Moses did the right thing. In his despair who did he take his complaint to, he took his complaint to God. He didn’t take it to anyone else, he took it straight to God. Now I’ve been asked many times is it wrong to complain to God. I believe God does not mind when we complain to Him, but we must be careful not to complain about God.
Remember the words of the hymn:
I must tell Jesus all of my trials;
I cannot bear these burdens alone;
In my distress He kindly will help me;
He ever loves and cares for his own.
B. Moses found relief in sharing his burden with God.
Someone has said, “A burden shared is half the load.” Don’t try to carry your burdens alone. Give them to God. Because Moses shared his burden with God, God gave Moses the solution Read verses 16-17, “The Lord said to Moses: Bring me seventy of Israel’s elders who are known to you as leaders and officials among the people. Have them come to the Tent of Meeting that they may stand there with you. I will come down and speak with you there, and I will take of the Spirit that is on you and put the Spirit on them. They will help you carry the burden of the people so that you will not have to carry it alone.”
Moses found relief in sharing his burdens with others and Jesus tells us to do the same “Let not your heart be troubled, you believe in God, believe also in me.” Jesus wants to bear our burdens & our trails. Jesus said, “Come unto me, all you that are weary & are heavy laden & I will give you rest”
In closing, we can expect conflict & complaints in life. Just like Moses we will all face conflict and burdens. Jesus said as long as we live in this world we will face tribulations and sorrows. (John 16:33)
Moses was tested by continual stress. (Numbers 11:10-15) Moses complained to God that he didn’t deserve the kind of treatment he was receiving from the people. What was he to do; he couldn’t pull meat out of the air. Verse 14-15, - “I can’t carry all these people by myself! The load is far too heavy! I’d rather you killed me than treat me like this. Please spare me this misery!”
Moses was worn out, burned out, depressed and exhausted. He was ready to give up. God answered his cry by telling him to recruit 70 other leaders to work with him in carrying the load. Whenever you are emotionally drained or physically exhausted don’t make any major decisions. Wait on the Lord and catch your breath. As Psalm 46:10 says, “Be still and know that HE IS GOD…”
Moses recognized he needed help. God promised Moses help and God provided 70 leaders to reduce the work and ministry stress Moses faced.
What is your burden tonight? You can cast all your cares upon Him. Don’t quit! Don’t give up! Give it to HIM!!!
Invitation.
